Exaltation of the Holy CrossThe Church celebrates the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, a feast rooted in the finding of the True Cross in Jerusalem by the Empress Helena. Most Rev. François Beyrouti, Bishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton, shares why the cross appears on nearly everything in a church and how the early Church turned a sign of public shame into a sign of glory. He also points to the Byzantine practice of honoring the cross a second time at the midpoint of Great Lent.
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Saint Quote of the Day
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You can do more with the grace of God than you think. ▪ St. John Baptist de la Salle
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St. John Baptist de la Salle |
Today's Meditation“But we don’t always have to climb to find [God]. Often, what we really want is not to put ourselves higher but to “pull heaven down,” to bring the goodness of God back down into the world. There is, of course, no greater “pulling down heaven” than at the Mass, where the Lord joins us at a table through the hands of the priest before meeting us in our bodies in intimate communion.” –Carrie Gress and Noelle Mering, p.20
Daily Verse †We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
- Romans 8:28
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EWTN Daily Saint
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St. Albert of JerusalemPatron Saint of: Carmelites and Carmelite vocations
Feast Day: September 14 St. Albert of Jerusalem (d. 1215) was born to a noble family in Italy, and was well educated in theology and law. He went on to become a priest and bishop and served in important posts as a peacemaker; he served as a mediator between Pope Clement III and the Holy Roman Emperor, between the Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Cyprus, and between the Knights Templar and the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia. In 1205 he was made Patriarch of Jerusalem by Pope Innocent III during the time when the Saracens had control of the city. In this position he was respected by all for his sanctity and intelligence. Because of the Muslim presence in Jerusalem, Albert took up residence in Acre overlooking the great city, as well as Mt. Carmel where a group of holy hermits lived. Albert was asked by St. Brocard, who was prior of the group of hermits, to draw up a rule of life for them which became the beginning of the Carmelite Order. In 1214 Albert was summoned to serve in the General Lateran Council, but was murdered before he could attend. The Master of the Hospital of the Holy Spirit, whom he had rebuked and deposed for immorality, stabbed him to death on September 14th in the Church of Saint John of Acre, while he was part of the procession on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. His feast day is September 14th.
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Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy CrossLectionary: 638 Reading 1Numbers 21:4b-9 With their patience worn out by the journey,
the people complained against God and Moses,
'Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!' In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents,
which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
'We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.'
So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses,
'Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.'
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. Responsorial PsalmPsalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.
R. Do not forget the works of the Lord! Reading 2Philippians 2:6-11 Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bend,
of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father. Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. GospelJohn 3:13-17 Jesus said to Nicodemus:
'No one has gone up to heaven
except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.' For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him.
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Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ!
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From Word Among Us WAU.org
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Daily Meditation: Philippians 2:6-11God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name. (Philippians 2:9) Imagine rappelling down a canyon wall. From the cliff edge, you have a glorious sunlit view. Now, lowering yourself a little at a time, you gradually sink into the chilly darkness of the ravine. This image can help us understand, if only in a very small way, what Paul tells us in today’s second reading. Beginning in the very heights of heaven, Jesus freely chose to lower himself and take on the humble form of a servant. Coming among us as a child, he descended into weakness. He became, not just a servant, but a mortal man, and eventually a victim of torture, rejection, and ridicule. Then he died at the absolute floor of the human “canyon.” But, Paul says, this was not a moment of failure. Jesus intentionally descended to rock bottom. He knew this was necessary if he was going to restore our relationship with God. Looking at the cross in this light, we realize that what looked like a pit is actually the heights—the peak of grace. The cross is not where Jesus lost his power. It’s where he revealed the power of God’s love to conquer sin and death. This is the love that Jesus offers you. His desire to be with you is so strong that he will dive down to meet you in the darkest parts of your life: your regrets, your worst moments, and your deepest fears. No part of your life is beyond his reach. He carries forgiveness, courage, and hope into these dark troughs, and with his love, he can still raise you up. Today, the Church exalts—literally, “lifts up”—the cross. We celebrate how God came down to rescue us. With this in mind, you, too, can “lift up” the cross. If you have a crucifix or a cross in your home, consider placing it in a prominent place today—on your kitchen table, perhaps. Or hold onto it as you pray. Thank the Lord for what he has done for you, and rejoice that Jesus can meet you wherever you are and lift you up with him. “Lord Jesus, I exalt the power of the cross!” Numbers 21:4-9
Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38
John 3:13-17
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Reflections with Brother Adrian:
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From today's Holy Gospel: "…And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world might be saved through him….”
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From Roberto Juarez: "Perhaps some of us wear a cross around our necks or have a cross at home. Perhaps we see it daily in our parish. Let us not allow it to become simply an object. When we look at a cross, let us remember, "Here is God's love for me." It doesn't matter what we've done, or how many times we've failed, or how far away we've strayed. Christ has given his life for us. The cross reminds us that our lives have immense value before God. God doesn't love us because we're perfect. He loves us and that's precisely why he wants to transform us.
Today the Church invites us to look at the cross. But not to remain contemplating suffering. We look at it to discover the love that is given. That is why the cross is not for us a sign of defeat. It is the sign of a victory that is born of love. When we are afraid, we suffer, we feel alone, we find it difficult to forgive, we think that God has forgotten us, let us look at the cross. And we will hear again the words of the Gospel: "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son". That is the true meaning of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. We do not exalt suffering. We exalt the love of Christ who, from the cross, transforms suffering and opens the way to life.
May we look at the cross today and say in faith: "Lord Jesus, thank you for your love. When my cross comes, help me not to flee from you. When I do not understand, help me to trust. When I am hurt, teach me to forgive. And when I feel weak, remind me that you are with me." And may we never forget that after the cross the Resurrection always dawns".
- end of quote from Roberto.
From Brother Adrian: Bishop Barron said: "It is not in order to work out his anger issues that the Father sends the Son but that the justice of the world might be restored. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s salvific intent, displayed throughout the Old Testament. He wanted to bring the divine life even into the darkest places. He wanted to hunt us down.
The Father, in short, sent the Son all the way into time, history, and the human condition. But then the Father sent him further, into our sin and dysfunction, and finally all the way down into hatred, violence, rejection, and death itself." end quote. The Exaltation of the cross comes at a peculiar time.
But it is always appropriate to venerate and observe this event. But this particular feast comes on a certain date, and that is my query. And to look into it we find: Historical Origins ▪ Dedication of the Basilica: Emperor Constantine built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over the sites of Calvary and Jesus' tomb. The church was dedicated on September 13 or 14, 335. [1, 2, 3]
▪ First Public Veneration: Following the dedication, the True Cross was brought outside the church on September 14, 335, so the faithful could lift it up ("exalt" it) and worship it. [1]
▪ Discovery by St. Helena: Tradition holds that Saint Helena, Constantine's mother, discovered the True Cross on September 14, 326, during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem
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Dedication of the Basilica: Emperor Constantine built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre over the sites of Calvary and Jesus' tomb. The church was dedicated on September 13 or 14, 335. [1, 2, 3] |
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First Public Veneration: Following the dedication, the True Cross was brought outside the church on September 14, 335, so the faithful could lift it up ("exalt" it) and worship it. [1] |
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Discovery by St. Helena: Tradition holds that Saint Helena, Constantine's mother, discovered the True Cross on September 14, 326, during her pilgrimage to Jerusalem |
And so, it is marked in history, forever. The big deal? The centerpiece? The cross.
It is a big deal.
In our church, it is the centerpiece.
And this has meaning. And I am finding out in my tremendous studies and observations of Heaven and God…with metaphysical encounters and near death experiences… God speaks through meanings. Once you see this, prepare yourself to be eternally amazed. Our simple language, it cannot do justice to how God speaks. Our human language and intellect is like a text message that loses so much more than a personal delivery from the heart.
So what happend at the cross?
The horizontal beam meets the vertical beam, and at the intersection is God's mind.
Something strange happened after Holy Mass today on this feast. A revelation in the mind spoke about the whole offering: Christ on the cross is the most honorable thing any person could ever do.
What is that honorable thing? To HONOR GOD THE FATHER.
And that is the message of the cross. That God's own heart would pour out a message to the world…forever.
And that message is being taught every day in our Holy Faith.
That message is being unraveled and will take eons to fully comprehend.
I take solace in that. There then, is solace…in faith.
Our Lord our Christ had to find consolation in faith. Only when we apply ourselves to the solution, can we find solace. And the solution then, is shown on the cross.
Some protestants are protesting the message of the cross, the crucifix to be more specific.
They cannot fathom the message of salvation in suffering.
The world teaches against suffering.
But our faith holds fast to the solution….the solace. There is something peculiar about that message from Heaven.
Be STRONG.
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Random Bible Verse 1
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Word of the Lord!
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Month of Our Lady of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa)
Devotion of the Month Opening prayer of Novena to Our Lady of Sorrows: O, Mother most holy and sorrowful, Queen of Martyrs, you who stood by your Son as He agonized on the cross; by the sufferings of your life, by that sword of pain that pierced your heart, by your perfect joy in heaven, look down on me kindly as I kneel before you, sympathizing with your sorrows and offering you my petition with childlike trust. Dear Mother, since your Son refuses you nothing, ask of His Sacred Heart to mercifully grant what I ask, through the merits of His sacred passion, along with those of your sufferings at the foot of the cross. Mother most merciful, to whom shall I go in my misery if not to you who pities us poor, sinful exiles in this valley of tears? In our name, offer Jesus but one drop of His most precious blood, but one pang of His loving heart. Remind Him that you are our sweetness, our life, and our hope, and your prayer will be heard. Amen.
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God Bless You! Peace
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